The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has successfully delivered the second edition of the Accessibility Forum.
The initiative was launched by the SC's Community Engagement team in 2016 to bring people with disabilities together with private organisations, non-government organisations and government entities to advise how best to deliver a seamless and enjoyable fan experience for all attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™.
The event was inaugurated by SC Secretary General H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi and attended by representatives from Forum member organisations from across Qatar.
The Forum started with an artistic performance that included a musical piece by composer and musician Mohammed Al Marri and a digital artwork developed live by artist Safiya Al Bahlani.
During his opening remarks, Al Thawadi said: "Qatar's winning of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ hosting rights and our promise to deliver a historic tournament is a responsibility that we can only achieve through a truly collaborative approach that ensures the participation of all sectors of Qatari society, including people with disabilities, in the planning and delivery of the tournament."
He added: "As part of our efforts to host a historic World Cup, we are aiming to host the most inclusive FIFA World Cup to date, ensuring it leaves a lasting legacy that Qatar can be proud of and that will inform future editions of the world's most-watched sporting event".
During the event, the Forum members discussed the main achievements accomplished by each stakeholder against the recommendations committed to in 2016.
The first year's commitments made by the SC and its infrastructure partners included the adoption of a motor disability guide on how to use public transport; training airport and hotel staff in Qatar on the best ways to deal with people with disabilities, the integration of people with disabilities in the volunteer programme of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™.
The pledge also included the hosting of several workshops to explore the ways in which people with disabilities can take part in the organisation of the tournament.
Among the most notable achievements discussed was the SC's launch of a sensory room at Khalifa International Stadium, in collaboration with the Ontario Centre for Special Education, during the Emir Cup in May 2017.
The room is the region's first sensory room to ever be installed at a football venue and enabled people with cognitive disabilities to enjoy the game in a fun environment that catered to their needs and delivered an inclusive experience.
Mariam Al Rashdi, Founder of Ontario Centre for Special Education, said: "The launch of the sensory room at Khalifa International Stadium in collaboration with the SC is a pioneering step forward that starts a positive dialogue on accessibility. Despite all the attacks on the 2022 FIFA World Cup™, the tournament will be World Cup of humanity and this Forum helps ensure that we will all work together to achieve that."
As well as looking back on the previous year's achievements, recommendations for 2018 and 2019 were also made during the conference. These included the expansion of the Forum to include the cultural sector as the theme of the second edition and many more.
The Forum concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Ahmed Al Shahrani from the Qatar Rehabilitation Centre on the aspirations of people with disabilities for the 2022 FIFA World Cup™. SC Arts and Cultural Specialist Nada Al Saadi participated in the session, alongside Cultural Consultant from the Ministry of Culture and Sports Lahdan Al-Mohannadi, Deputy Director of Operations at Museum of Islamic Art Daniel Brown, Director of Commercial & Marketing at Katara Darwish Ahmed, Director of the Qatari Cultural and Social Centre for the Deaf Abdullah Al Mulla, and composer Mohammed Al Marri.